New SR-71/YF-12 Decals (48 and 72)

[Garth]

I think you all know that my only affiliation with Meteor Productions is that they're a local company, Dave Klaus is great about allowing "walk-ins" to his warehouse (he's an aftermarket shop, not a retailer) on Saturday mornings, and Dave is really good when I show up with two kids who would rather being doing anything else in tow ...

 

Anyways, ran over this morning and picked up Meteor's (I think they're under the Cutting Edge brand) new SR-71/YF-12 decals in 1/72. They're available in 1/48 as well, just as two different sets.

 

The sheets cover 14 different Blackbirds, and having taken a close look at them (plus having bought the sheet), they're really exceptional. Highly recommended to anyone who wants to build an SR or YF.

 

--Garth

[Corinthian]

I think you all know that my only affiliation with Meteor Productions is that they're a local company, Dave Klaus is great about allowing "walk-ins" to his warehouse (he's an aftermarket shop, not a retailer) on Saturday mornings, and Dave is really good when I show up with two kids who would rather being doing anything else in tow ...

 

Anyways, ran over this morning and picked up Meteor's (I think they're under the Cutting Edge brand) new SR-71/YF-12 decals in 1/72. They're available in 1/48 as well, just as two different sets.

 

The sheets cover 14 different Blackbirds, and having taken a close look at them (plus having bought the sheet), they're really exceptional. Highly recommended to anyone who wants to build an SR or YF.

 

--Garth

 

Nice. Are the sample, somewhat lo-res images of the decal sheets up on a website for viewing? Seeing a friend's 1/72 Blackbird makes me want to build one in 1/48.

[Garth]

Nice. Are the sample, somewhat lo-res images of the decal sheets up on a website for viewing? Seeing a friend's 1/72 Blackbird makes me want to build one in 1/48.

 

 

www.meteorprod.com

 

There's a bonus decal with the set: a picture of a Habu snake with "HABU" written underneath that was chalked on the bottom of one of the detached SR noses.

 

I remember seeing a picture of that nose up on a workstand with the noseart applied somewhere in my reference materials. I'm not sure that the nose was ever associated with a particular SR, since there were several types of modular nose with different sensor fits. Luckily the Monovell SR kit in 72 has the nose section as a separate piece ... my plan is to get another few Monovell kits (which I think are better than the recommeded Ital/Testors kits -- and with 14 different aircraft on the sheet I'm probably going to want to make at least 3 or 4 of them) and do a resin casting of the nose before assembly so I can display the nose with the artwork visible.

 

--Garth

[Corinthian]

Thanks for the link Garth. The only Blackbird kits here at our LHSs are by Academy (in 1/48 and 1/72) and another one by Mini-Hobby (I think) in 1/72.

 

Then again, I think that was in 1/72 and 1/144....

[Garth]

Thanks for the link Garth. The only Blackbird kits here at our LHSs are by Academy (in 1/48 and 1/72) and another one by Mini-Hobby (I think) in 1/72.

 

Then again, I think that was in 1/72 and 1/144....

 

I didn't know that Academy did a Blackbird in 1/48 ... could it be a Testors/Italeri repop under the Academy brand?

 

The only two kits I've heard decent things about in 72nd are Monovell and Testors. So far I've built two Monovells (978 with the full-color 9th SRW badge on the tail and white-surround US insignia, 971 in the final flight scheme w/"BB" tailcodes and the maltese-cross tailband) and one Testors (two-hole 956 as NASA 831).

 

I have the Italeri YF-12 kit in my stash.

 

The Testors/Italeri kit looks better from a "representation" standpoint -- Monovell has the somewhat typical Monovell "toyish" quality to it. But Monovell, imho, looks much better in the nose area ... I think they got the raised cockpit look and the slope of the chines correct (or at least better than Testors/Ital did ... and remember that the Testors/Ital SR kit is the recommended one if doing an A-12 conversion specifically because it's chines are closer to an A-12 than a real SR), and I think unlike any other kit the Monovell nose has the late-service "dimples" in the nose.

 

I've heard noise about staying away from all the other SR kits. Not so much the Academy as the Hase offering. I'm pretty sure that Hyperscale, ARC and/or ModellingMadness have review articles on the kits ... or at least detailed discussions in their forums.

 

Oh, and I think that the first Blackbird I'm going to build using the decals from this sheet is 980 with the Det 4 dartboard tail-art.

 

Of course, I have three P-51s, an F-107, an SH-60, a MiG-27 (yes, I STILL haven't finished that one - started it over 10 years ago now, I think), an RF-8, an F9F Twogar and a couple/few others in the queue in front of it. I'm also trying to figure out which F-117 is going to be flown into Dulles for donation to NASM this Spring ... I'd like to have a model of it ready for display at the annual "Become a Pilot Day" open house in June (assuming that my club is invited back, of course!). Once I figure that out, the -117 kit will move to the front of the queue.

 

--Garth

[Corinthian]

Yeah, I think you are right indeed. Them Academy Blackbirds I've seen are 1/72 most probably. I thought they were 1/48 judging from the size of the box. It has been awhile though since I've seen an Academy SR-71 kit at the LHS though.

[Corinthian]

I just learned about Meteor's closing from the IPMS-Philippines discussion board. Below is the email message posted by one of the forum members:

 

Meteor's

FINAL THREE SELLING DAYS!

 

Hi Larry A.,

This is not a joke.

 

After fifteen years of serving the modeling community with superior decals & resin conversions, Meteor Productions, Inc., will cease business operations at 8 AM, Monday, February 18th, 2008. We are closing due to factors entirely unrelated to this Company, the hobby, the hobby industry, and the general business environment.

 

I want you to know how much I have enjoyed and appreciated my many years of working with so many fine people in America and around the world. You have been wonderful and I'm privileged to have known you. May God bless you.

 

(However, I'm not likely to miss the seven-day workweeks, 16-19 hours per day!)

 

Good luck and good modeling!

 

Dave Klaus